But the former Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers slugger told the L.A. Times on Saturday his inability to find a suitable contract isn't going to affect his performance this spring.

"That won't happen," Ramirez said, when asked by the Times about concern that prolonged negotiations might leave him disgruntled and result in a diminished effort. "Understand me, I have goals. I know that if I play six more years, I could get to my 3,000th hit and, who knows, maybe my 700th home run."

Ramirez, who spoke in Spanish, made his first public statements this year to the Times.

Ramirez is asking for a four-year deal. His agent, Scott Boras, had warned Ramirez negotiations could last into February.

"We're in the seventh inning and I'm waiting for my pitch," Ramirez told the Times.